Page 126 of More than a Phoenix

Gabriella let out a tinkling laugh. “If you ever do it again, I’ll refuse to take you out of the cage until you’re old men. Understand?”

“Yeah, we understand,” Dante said. “But, shoot, that’ll come in handy when Noah has to find a new place to live. Me? I’ve decided to move in with Mallory, if she’ll still have me.”

“Of course I will! We’re going to be living together? That’s my dream come true.”

“We can be married, if you’d prefer.”

She laughed. “I’d prefer that a whole lot!”

The two of them kissed heartily, not coming up for air and apparently not caring if anyone else was in the room while it erupted with cheers and shouts of congratulations.

When everyone had quieted down, Noah turned to Kizzy and took both of her hands in his. “Yeah. About that. I was hoping we could get a place together. Unless you’re still worried about your father’s disapproval.”

Her jaw dropped, but she recovered quickly. “I don’t think he’ll disapprove at all, now that our family is out of danger, thanks to yours. And even if he did, I’d love to live with you, Noah! I love you dearly.”

“I love you too. So that’s a yes?”

“That’s a shut-the-front-door, heck yes!”

They kissed more chastely, but to the same sounds of cheers, whistles, and catcalls. Kizzy’s olive skin turned a lovely shade of rose.

“I baked a special treat to celebrate.” Gabriella gathered everyone in the dining room. She had made a large sheet cake, copying the old Risk board to approximate a world map on top. “Everyone have a seat,” she said.

Most of the guys and the two remaining women sat down at the very long dining table.

“Tony might have a mind of his own,” Gabe said. The little boy was just learning to walk and couldn’t be stopped from toddling everywhere.

“I have a solution to that.” Gabriella remembered how to distract a child. She picked up her precious grandson and plopped him into a highchair. “Give him his favorite toy,” she said to Gabe.

He pulled a plastic dinosaur out of a diaper bag and handed it to him. Tony chewed on it and seemed content.

Now Gabriella had her hands free to cut the cake.

Misty emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of cups and saucers. Sandra followed with plates. Kristine was already placing napkins and silverware in front of each place.

It was amazing how much Gabriella’s family had grown. As each son moved out, her heart had broken a bit. Then when they visited with a wife and even a child, her heart not only mended but grew larger to accommodate the new members. She and Antonio would havetwonew daughters very soon. And they were human. Capable of giving her more grandchildren!

Antonio winked at her. After thirty-five years together, she knew exactly what he was thinking. “Six sons settled down. One to go. Almost there.”